A Kenyan woman has shed light on why she was unable to host Delphina Wambui Ngingi, the woman who froze to death after lacking shelter in Canada. Delphina Wambui Ngingi, who died after freezing outside a shelter in Canada (l), her friend who lives in the country, Teresia Wanjiku (r).How Delphine Wambui Ngingi died The 46-year-old widow had travelled to the country to look for greener pastures for her four children when she sadly lost her life under the unfortunate circumstances. Delphina had approached the Dundas Shelter in Ontario looking for a place to stay but was asked to wait outside. She later collapsed due to the cold and was admitted to the hospital; the mum of four suffered a medical emergency and died, with her passing saddening many Kenyans. In an interview with YouTuber Jeremy Damaris, a Kenyan woman identified as Teresa Wanjiku said Delphina was her friend. “From when she got a visa, she called me and told me she would come here to Toronto. We even talked for 45 minutes before she died. She had just lost her job in Kenya after her dad became ill. She just wanted to come here to look for money for her kids,” said Wanjiku on in a video posted on Jeremy Damaris’s Facebook page. “She had faced many challenges in trying to come to Canada, but she finally managed to fly on Valentine’s Day. When she arrived, I asked my friend to go pick her from the airport and bring her to my house because I was busy at work. I wanted her to come to my house for a night so that the following day, I would take her to the shelter,” she added. Why wasn’t Delphina hosted by other Kenyans? When the two met, Wanjiku woke her friend up and took her to a shelter so they could report that the lady did not have a place to stay. “She later called me and told me she was told to wait outside in the cold; I told her to wait as instructed. I would not have hosted her because she had to go to a shelter; she had sought asylum in the airport,” said Wanjiku. “This means she was a refugee and not a visitor. She stayed in line for too long. The following day I checked on her and in our conversation, I told her to ask them if she could take a shower. That was when we talked last. Minutes later, I was informed that she had died,” she narrated. How can people help Delphina Wambui Ngingi’s family? On his part, Jeremy Damaris shared that people can help the late mum of four’s family by contributing money to M-Pesa number 0724 835 361 which belongs to Joseph Ngige. Reactions from netizens: Rosemary Karuri: “May the Lord of all comfort strengthen this family.” Lenah Kimani Ngûri: “This is so so sad .” Gerald Gateri: “This is so sad I am shocked, sorry for the family .” Liz Kamande: “This woman before she comes here alirushiswa mara mbili akiwa kwa ndege before afike Canada alikuwaga na marmbo alikuwaga inamuzuiya let we pray for her.” Joyce Mwangi: “Sad indeed. May her soul rest in eternal peace. Comfort to the family.” Shiro Karani: “I believe it’s more than the cold…the version to her death is different but her siz shared her story.”
by Susan Mwenesi
